Locomotive-tender tank valve



. 1,690,742 0. s. MATTHEWS LOCOMOTIVE TENDER TANK VALVE Nov. 6, 1928.

Filed Oct. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,742

0. s. MATTHEWS LOCOMOTIVE TENDER TANK VALVE Filed 00M 15, 1927 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ORVILLE S. MATTHEWFS, OF PARSONS, KANSAS, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-THIRD TO LESLIE E. LAMM, OF PARSONS, KANSAS.

LOCOMOTIVE-TENDER TANK VALVE.

Application filed October 15, 1927. Serial No, 226,445.

This invention is a valve whereby the water may be permitted to flow at the will of an operator, from the tank in the tender of a locomotive engine, and the invention aims to provide novel means for mounting and -1nanipulating the valve.

Itis within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, be made within the scope of what is claimed, without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, mounted in the tank of a locomotive engine, some parts being in section;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the means whereby motion is imparted to the plunger rod that carries the valve;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the valve and attendant parts;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 1 but disclosing a modification;

Figure 5 is a sectional view depicting the valve which is employed in that form of the invention which appears in Figure 4:;

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating one of the retainers which form part of the valve mechanism.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral 1 marks the tank of the tender of a locomotive engine, there being an opening 2 in the bottom of the tank 1. The plate 3 is attached by securing elements 4 to the bottom of the tank 1 and the plate 3 is depressed to form a settling basin below the opening 2. The flange 5 of a depending tubular outlet member 6, is held by securing members 7 to the bottom of the basin portion of the plate 3. A sleeve 8 ere tends through the bottom part of the plate 3 and is threaded into the bore of the outlet member 6, the sleeve having a valve seat 9 threaded upon its upper edge, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the seat- 9 having wrench surfaces so that it can be turned readily through the instrumentality of a suitable tool. I

The numeral 10 marks an inverted U shaped frame having inwardly extended feet 11 which rest upon the plate 3. The feet 11 of the frame 10 are attached to the plate 3 by means of securing devices 12. A sleeve nut 14 is threaded into the upper portion of the frame 10, and a guide, in the form of a brass tube, is secured in the sleeve nut 14. the guide tube being marked by the numeral 15. Brass or an equivalent metal is selected in the making of the guide tube 15, in order to prevent rusting and corrosion. in view of the fact that a plunger rod, marked by the numeral 22, and hereinafter described, slides in the guide 15.

A reinforcing plate 16 is attached by securing" elements 17 to the top of the tank 1 and has a depending extension 18 which is prolonged downwardly through the top of the tank 1. In the extension 18 is located a packing 19 which is engaged by a compression nut 20 threaded into the plate 16. A guide 21, in the form of a'brass tube, is mounted in the nut 20 and extends downwardly through the packing 19 and the bottom portion of the extension 18. A plunger 22 slides in the tube 21. There is an abutment 23 on the plunger rod 22. A compression spring 24 surrounds the plunger rod 22, the lower end of the spring engaging the abutment 23, and the upper end of the spring engaging the extension 18 of the plate 16.

A head 25 is threaded on the upper end of the plunger rod 22, and a lateral finger 26 is threaded ormounted otherwise in the head 25. Rollers 27 are held for rotation on the finger 26, one or more of the rollers operating in a slot 28 formed in a guide bracket 29, the foot of the guide bracket being secured at 30 to the reinforcing plate 16. The numeral 31 marks a segmoidal cam lever, which is fulcrumed at 32, intermediate its ends, on the guide bracket 29, the curved upper end and carries a laterally extended handle 33.

The lower end of the plunger rod 22 is receivedin a socket 34 formed in a boss 35 on a foot 36, the boss 35 and the plunger 22 having registering openings 37, adapted to receive a cotter pin 39, or equivalent structure, used to secure the foot 36 on the lower end of the plunger rod 22. Retainers 38 are mounted on the opposite edges of thefoot 36 and have inwardly extended flanges 41 retaining a compressible valve disk 40 against the under surface of the foot 36, any desired additional means being used, to retain the valve disk 40 in place. The valve disk 40 is made of a rubber compound or other suitable material and is adapted to be pressed down on the valve seat 9 to afiord an'hermetic closure.

In practical operation, when the lever 31 isswung on its fulcrum 32 by means of the handle 33, the position of the upper end of the lever 31 is shifted with respect to the rollers 27 on the finger 26, and the plunger rod 22 moves downwardly under the action of the compression spring 24, the valve disk 40 being pressed against the seat, 9 to afford an hermetic closure. When the lever 31 is restored to the position shown in Figures 2 and 1, the plunger 22 and the valve disk 40 are raised and the valve 9 is opened, so that water can flow out of the tank 1 through the seat 9, the sleeve8 and the outlet member 6. The device, in general, is simple in construction, and the particular structure shown in the drawings is useful as affording a means whereby rusting and corrosion will be avoids ed, so that the plunger rod 22 can reciprocate freely to raise and lower the valve, the construction being strong'and not likely to get out of order. V

In Figures 4, 5 and 6', of the drawings, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals previously used, with the suffix a.

The retainers 38 are mounted on three sides of thefoot 36 fixedly, buta fourth retainer 43 is provided, and this retainer is removable and adjustable. In addition to the underlying flange 41, the retainer 43 has a flange 42 which overlies the upper surface of the foot 36. This flange 42 has a plurality of transversely elongated openings 44, as Figure 6 will show. Securing elements 45,

such as bolts, are mounted in the foot 36',

and the securing elements extend upwardly through the openings 44 in the flange 42, nuts '46 being threaded on the upper ends of the bolts. and the nuts engaging the flange 42 to hold the retainer 43 in place. The valve disk 40 is slid into place above the flanges 41* of the fixedretainers 38, and the retainer 43 is mounted in place as shown in Figure 5, the openings 44 being large enough so that the nange 41 of the retainer 43 can be engaged beneath the valve disk 40, the nuts 46 finally being mounted on the upper ends of the bolts 45, and being tightened down on the flange 42. p

In this form of the invention, there is a tool box 47 in the upper part of the tank 1 the tool box being defined in part by a horizontal partition 48. Especial care is taken to prevent the water from working through the partition 48 into the tool box 47, and,

having this consideration in mind, recourse is had to a structure which will now be described in detail.

A plate .49 is held by securing elements 50 on the upper surface of the partition 48, the plate 49 having an extension 51 prolonged downwardly through the partition '48. packing 52 is located in the extension 51 and is engaged by the lower end of a compression which is threaded into the plate 49. In the nut 53 is secured a guide tube 54 of brass or the like, in which the plunger 22 slides. The guide tube 54 preferably is made of brass, and it extends downwardly through the packing 52 and through the extension 51. The guide tube 54 extends upwardly through a packing 55 in the nut 53 and through a nut 56 which is threaded into the nut 53, the nut 56 constituting a means for compressing the packing 55. As a result of structure described, a gland is provided which will be thoroughly effective to prevent water from working its way upwardly through the partition 48 into the tool box 47. In this form of the invention, the packing structure at the top of the tank may be simplified somewhat, because leakage at this point is not very likely to occur, since there is no water in the tool box 47. The extension 18 of Figure 1 is omitted, and the spring 24 abuts directly against the lower end of the nut 20, the nut 2O beingthreaded downwardly through the plate 16 and through the top of the tank 1 What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a tank having a seat in its bottom, a guide supported near the bottom of the tank, a plunger slidable inthetop of the tank and in the guide, a valve 'onthe plunger and adapted to cooperate with the seat, spring means cooperating with the plunger to close the valve on the seat, a guide bracket, means for mounting the guide bracket on the top of the tank, 2. lateral finger on the plunger and slidable in the guide bracket, and a lever fulcrumed on the guide bracket and engaging the finger to operate the plunger and to open the valve.

2. In device of the class described, a tank having a seat in its bottom, a reinforcing plate secured to the top of the tank, anut threaded into the plate, a non-corrosive bushing in the nut, a plunger slidable in the bushing, a valve on the plunger and adapted to cooperate with the seat, a guide bracket secured to the reinforcing plate, a finger mounted on the plunger and slidable in the guide bracket, and 1novable means on the guide bracket and under the control of an operator, said means c0- operating with the finger to move the plunger and unseat the valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

ORVILLE S. MATTHEWS. 

